Automatic row numbering in the Writer tables

Often we have a Writer table with some numbering in its first column. And when you delete some rows from the table, then you should to make your numbering in first column anew.

There is a beautiful method for that case special for you! After that you shouldn't re-create your numbering in the table.

Just make next steps:

1. Create a table in Writer

2. Select needed column or several cells in column

3. Press Toggle Numbered List icon on toolbar (or select some list style on the Sidebar)

4. Now you have AUTOMATIC numbering of table rows!

For example, you created a numbering for 10 rows. Try delete 5th and 6th row. Your numbering is updated automatic and you have numbering from 1 to 8. And if you insert two row between existing rows with numbering, then you'll get numbering from 1 to 10 automatic also.

You can disable that numbering using the same way as when you created it. Just select cells with numbering and press Toggle Numbered List icon.

The same Russian post is here.

Calculations inside of Writer tables

Possibly, not all people know it can to make calculations inside Writer tables like in the Calc. But there are only 25 functions for use inside Writer tables, but Calc has over 400 functions.

To start use functions inside Writer tables you should left click into cell and then press key F2 or "=" on keyboard, or use "Formula" icon on Table toolbar. It shows a Formula bar like in the Calc.

There are Cell address field, Functions drop-down list, Cancel button, Apply button, Formula field on that bar.

Note, links to cells in Writer tables look as <A1> or <B3>. Cell ranges look as <A1:A10> or <A1:D12>.

After the Formula bar appeared you can select functions from drop-down list or can write a formula manually inside the Formula field after equal sign at once.

You can make calculates not only inside one Writer table. You can use values from many tables inside one Writer document. Use link to cell with table name like <Table2.A1>.

Attention! If you made in your formula a link to cell from another table and then changed that table's name, then you'll see an error in the cell like "** Expression is faulty **"! So, you should rename all your tables before you start create formulas inside these tables.

MS Word allows calculations in its native table too. But there are some differences between MS Word and LO Writer in that case.

First - difference between functions sets:

LibreOffice Writer table`s functions	MS Word table`s functions
SUM	SUM
ROUND	ROUND
PERCENT	-
SQUARE ROOT	-
POWER	-
LIST SEPARATOR	-
EQUAL	-
NOT EQUAL	-
LESS THAN OR EQUAL	-
GREATER THAN OR EQUAL	-
LESS	-
GREATER	-
BOOLEAN OR	OR
BOOLEAN XOR	-
BOOLEAN AND	AND
BOOLEAN NOT	NOT
MEAN	AVERAGE
MINIMUM	MIN
MAXIMUM	MAX
SINE	-
COSINE	-
TANGENT	-
ARCSINE	-
ARCCOSINE	-
ARCTANGENT	-
COUNT (starting from 7.1)	COUNT
ABS (starting from 7.1)	ABS
-	DEFINED
-	FALSE
-	IF
-	INT
-	MOD
PRODUCT (starting from 7.1)	PRODUCT
SIGN (starting from 7.1)	SIGN
-	TRUE

Second - in the Writer you type a formula into Formula bar like in the Calc, but in the MS Word you type a formula into the different dialog window.

Third - you can click on cells in the Writer tables when you create a formula, but in the MS Word you can't make it

Fourth - Writer can automatically recalculate result of formula when you change source values, but MS Word can't.

ps: if there is a formula inside a Writer table, then you'll never know about it wihout tooltip! Cell with formula looks like any another cell without formula in the table=(

New Table section was added to Writer Sidebar

Tamás Zolnai from Collabora added to Writer Sidebar new Table section. Now when you click inside a Writer table then you'll see in Sidebar new section with controls for handling of the table like "Add row", "Add column", etc.

It will be available in LibreOffice 6.4 that will be release in February 2020 year